Pencil



SPt-25,1945- u l-l.` HOFFMAN 2,385,442

PENC IL Fi1ed oct. 11, 1944 :s'sheets-sheet 1 6 A w1{1.89/1} www MM@ QT f INVENTOR. Hanf)r Hoffman BY VV/mfehead Vo Per fat ATTORNEY.

Sept' 245" 1945-- H. `Hol-PMAMV PENCIL "3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed oct. 11, 1944 mvrson Harry Hoffman BY Whitehead Vo Per: fgwfr,

ATTORNEY.

H. HQFFMAN PENCIL Filed oct. 11, 1944 5- Sheets-Shet 3 wa @9F30 Las FIG.

JNVENFOR v ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 25, 1945 Ulilfrlil)l STA-TES..

PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims,

This invention relates to, pencils and particularly to pencils having means for feeding the lead out through and projecting it beyond the tip of the pencil. and means for normally preventing the lead being pushed' back from such projected position.

"Objects ofthe invention are, to provide` a pencil, of `the class indicated, which' shall, have (a) means for projecting the lead a, predetermined distanceresponsive' to a. slight movement olf-the finger ofthe users hand when holding the pencil in writing positiony and Without change of the position of the pencil in such hand; (o.) a chamber for a supply of leads designed to feed leadssuccessively'into a` central passage by gravity Acorfnbined with means for moving a succession fleadsalong said passage in intermittent steps of predetermined equal length (0)" said moving means being" operable responsive to slight movementV of the tip ofthe `writers"'nger while holdingthe pencil in writing position.

With'these'an'dother objects in View, as Will hereinafter more fully appear', the inventioncomprises, certain novel constructions, combinations andfarrangement's'of partsy as hereinafter" described and as defined'in theap'pended claims and illustrated, in 'preferred embodiment, inthe accompanying drawings in `which` Figi` 1 is a longitudinal, centralsectional view, partly irrelevation, o f a pencil according tothe present invention',with` parts' in position when the finger piece is drawn back to startthe projection of the lead;

Fig.'2 isa View like Fig. 1, but all in section, showing the parts in position vwlf'e'n projection of the lead is completed; f

Figs'. '3, 4, 5 and 6f are sections respectively on linesvi-, llr-v--llJv--In andB--B of Fig. l.

Figs, '1, 8 and 9` aresections respectively on lines 1 1, 18V- fiV and 9--9 of Fig."2`.`

Fig. 1 0 is a perspective view'of the front chuck.

Fig. 1 1 is a,longitudinal central section of the forward fragment of the pencil showing a modication of the structure shown in the' previous gme's.. l.

' Figs. 12 and 13 are sections respectively on unes Ig-Llzand |'a` '|3 pf'riig. 11;

Fig. 14 is a' plan'view of the` forward fragment ofthe pencil shown in all previous figures.

' The parts'ofthe pencil are'positioned Within or associated with a barrel I which carries'at'its forward end a tapered cap 2 engaged'to the barrel suitable manner as by interengaged threads 3.l The'rear portion of the barrel lis vhollow,'forming anagazin 4' lfor holding a supply of leads 5 which may be inserted through irregular orifice 6 in the bottom of the hollow frusto-conicalplug l. If desired, a cap, not shown, maycover the rear end of the barrel. At the forward end ofthe magazine 4 i s a plus 8 having a central bore '9 for the leads and a conical .upper surface I'uon which the forwardl ends of the leads rest and which, by its inclination, slides a, lead into central bore 9 whenever m the preceding lead has b een projected forwardlyk sufliciently to permit the entry of another lead. Plug 8 carries a forwardly extending sleeve I I` which has a shoulder co-mating with a shoulder on the interior of barrel I as at I2. Sliding l5 sleeve I3 is mounted within sleeve Il, Bushing I4 fits snugly within the bore of barrel I and abuts against the' forward end; of sleeve II and has an interior diameter less than sleeve II but greater than sleeve I3 and carries a projection 2o l5 serving as a stop to limit the forward movement of sleeve I3. Bushing YIII also carries a forwardly extending guide I6 whichcarries bearing I1. Ring I8 has a sliding fit in barrel I and coiled spring I9 surrounds guide Idandts ends seat against bushing Ill at the rear and-ring I8 at its frontend, the forward movement of ring I8 being limited as hereinafter described. Slidably mounted in bearing I1 and^cap 2, there is provided a chuck grip 20, externally shouldered as at 2| to seat, and limit the forward movement of, ring I8 and having a central bore 22, aligned axially with bore 9 to form a centralI passage for the leads forwardly from magazine 4. Bore 22 is forwardly 'enlargedinto cylinder '23 \to accommodate coiled spring 24 and the rear portion of the front chuck, hereinafter described.l

The rear portion of chuck grip 20 is drawn out, or otherwise formed, into'a chuck here illustrated as formed of three spring members 25 40 adapted to normally spring out of Contact with leads 5, as shown at Fig. 2, but to be brought into encircling gripping contact with said leads when inclined lugs 26, carried by members 25 are moved rearwardly and forced within sleeve I3, as shown at Fig. l. It will be noted that when in position shown at Fig. 2 the lugs 26 contact the forward end of sleeve I3 and that the inclination of the rear ends of lugs 26 is sufficiently steepso that a rearward movement `of the chuck will cause the lugs 26 to shove sleevev I3 rearwardly until it abuts plug 8 whereafter the continued rearward movement of the chuck will force the lugs within sleeve I3 resulting in compressing the'- chuck into gripping contact with the lead which lies within the chuck. Thereafter, the forward movement of the chuck will draw with it the gripped lead and also sleeve I3 until sleeve I3 abuts projection I5 whereafter continued forward movement of the chuck will withdraw lugs 23 from sleeve I3 allowing the members 25 to spring outwardly and into the position shown at Fig. 2.

The front chuck is shown at Fig. and comprises a hollow stem 21, forwardly divided into a plurality of spring fingers 23 each of which has a forward interior lug 29, for gripping the lead when compressed, and an exterior inclined lug 39 adapted to cooperate with the chuck grip 2i) for compressing the chuck when grip 2D is moved forward. In practice the interior lug 29 and exterior lug 3U on each finger are formed as a unitary member comprising an enlargement or extension both inwardly and outwardly of the forward end of nger 28, as shown in the drawings.

Slot 3l is provided in the barrel at a point normally beneath the tip joint of the index nger of the writer when holding the pencil in writing position. Finger piece 32, adapted to slide longitudinally of the barrel I, and preferably between ribs 33, and covering the slot 3l, has depending hollow lug 34 having a sliding iit in the slot. Screws 35 secure the piece 32 to chuck grip 20, lug 34 resting against grip 29 and serving as a spacer to prevent screws 35i drawing piece 32 into binding contact with the barrel.

The top surface of finger piece 32 may be provided vwith any suitable means for convenient engagement by the tip of the finger, a simple depression being illustrated, which will answer theV purpose under ordinary conditions.

When the nger piece is slid backward by the tip of the writers finger, the front chuck releases its grip on the lead and the rear chuck grips the lead which projects through plug 8 and when the finger releases the linger piece spring I9 forces chuck grip 29 forward and carries'forward, to the length equal to the permitted movement of sleeve I3, all of the leads in the central passage resulting in the projection of the front lead,'beyond the point of cap 2, a distance equal to said movement of sleeve I3. As grip 29 moves into its forward position it compresses the front chuck and' grips the front lead preventing ilts being pushed back into the pencil by the writing pressure exerted thereon.

Spring 23 resiliently holds the front chuck in its forward position at all stages of movement of grip and also serves as a cushion to soften the forward movement of grip 20 resulting from the action of spring I9.

It will be noted that bore 9, bore 22 and hollow stem 2l forms a substantially continuous central passage for the leads from magazine Il to the point of cap 2, members and spring M cooperating therewith and acting as guides in the spaces intervening between said bores and said stem. I

For simplicity in drawing, the front -chuck is shown at Fig. 10 with a flat front end, but it will be noted at Figs. 1, 2 and 11 that the end wall 3S in cap 2 is slightly curved and that the forward ends of lugs 29--30 ar=l correspondingly curved, the radius of the curve being that taken by the ends of lugs 29-3G in .their movement between gripping or compressed position and full releasing position as shown at Fig. l.

The modification illustrated at Figs. 11, 12 and 13 comprises a combined bushing and connecting member 3'! which connects the barrel and -cap by screw threads as at 38 and extends inwardly to form a stop 39 for extensions 40 of lugs 39 whereby any substantial rearward movement of the front chuck is prevented. In this embodiment the spring 24 is eliminated. Should the front chuck be dra-wn rearwardly by the rearward movement of chuck grip 20, such movement will be stopped by stop 39 and when the chuck reaches that point the grip of member 2l] thereon will be released and, as the pencil is in substantially upright position, the chuck will drop by gravity to its most forward position in contact with wall 3S. Bushing 3l serves as a bearing for grip 20 in place of the threaded rearward extension of cap 2 as shown at Figs. l and 2.

While many of the details of construction have been illustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention is not limited thereto and that many changes of detail will occur to those skilled in the art which will be within the spirit of the foregoing description and scope of the appended claims and protection is not to be limited to details.

I claim:

1. In a pencil having a barrel with a tapered tip at one end, a magazine adapted to hold leads in the other end, and a central passageway leading from the magazine forwardly through the tip and adapted to accommodate a succession of leads, means adapted to intermittently move said succession of leads along said passageway in steps of equal predetermined length, said moving means comprising a front chuck within the tip end of the pencil and a second chuck within said pencil spaced rearwardly of said front chuck and a longitudinally slidable member within said pencil adapted to compress said front chuck to grip the lead in the passageway when moved forwardly and to release said front chuck and compress the rear chuck to grip leads in said passageway when moved rearwardly.

2. In a pencil having a barrel with a tapered tip at one end, a magazine adapted to hold leads in the other end, and a central passageway leading from the magazine forwardly through the tip and adapted to accommodate a succession of and a longitudinally slidable member within said in forward, front-chuck-compressing position.

8. In a pencil having a barrel with a tapered tip at one end, a magazine adapted to hold leads in the other end, and a central passageway leading from the magazine forwardly through the tip and adapted to accommodate a succession of leads, means adapted to intermittently move said succession of leads'along said passageway in steps of equal predetermined length, said moving means comprising a front chuck within the tip end of the pencil and a second chuck within said pencil spaced rearwardly of said front chuck and a longitudinally slidable member within said pencil adapted to compress said front chuck to grip the lead in the passageway when moved forwardly and to release said front chuck and compress the rear chuck to grip leads in said passageway when moved rearwardly and a plug fixed in said barrel to limit the rearward movement of said moving means and providing a bottom for said magazine, said plug having a central passage for leads and a conically concave upper surface adapted to slide the magazined leads into said passage.

4. In a pencil having a barrel with a tapered tip at one end, a magazine adapted to hold leads in the other end, and a central passageway leading from the magazine forwardly through the tip and adapted to accommodate a succession of leads, means adapted to intermittently move said succession of leads along said passageway in steps of equal predetermined length, said moving means comprising a front chuck within the tip end of the pencil and a second chuck within said pencil spaced rearwardly of said front chuck and a longitudinally slidable member within said pencil adapted to compress said front chuck to grip the lead in the passageway when moved forwardly and to release said front chuck and compress the rear chuck to grip leads in said passageway when moved rearwardly, said rear chuck being carried by said longitudinally slidable member and said front chuck being slidably engaged by said longitudinally slidable member.

5. In a pencil having a barrel with a tapered tip at one end, a magazine adapted to hold leads in the other end, and a central passageway leading from the magazine forwardly through the tip and adapted to accommodate a succession of leads, means adapted to intermittently move said succession of leads along said passageway in steps of equal predetermined length, said moving means comprising a front chuck within the tip end cf the pencil and a second chuck within said pencil spaced rearwardly of said front chuck and a longitudinally slidable member within said penciladapted to compress said front chuck to grip thelead in the passageway when moved forwardly and to release said front chuck and compress the rear chuck to grip leads in said passageway when moved rearwardly, said rear chuck l0 being carried by said longitudinally slidable member and said front chuck being slidably engaged by said longitudinally slidable member and resilient means for retaining said front chuck at leads, means adapted to intermittently move said succession of leads along said passageway in steps of equal predetermined length, said moving means comprising a front chuck within the tip end of the pencil and a second chuck within said pencil spaced rearwardly of said front chuck and a longitudinally slidable member within said pencil adapted to compress said front chuck to grip the lead in the passageway when moved forwardly and to release said front chuck and compress the rear chuck to grip leads in said passageway when moved rearwardly, said rear chuck being carried by said longitudinally slidable member and said front chuck being slidably engaged by said longitudinally slidable member and fixed means for limiting the rearward movement of said front chuck.

HARRY HOFFMAN. 

